OVALLE*S HISTORICAL RELATION OF CHILE, 1 85 



untied theirs, commanding their wounds to be dreffed, and treating them with feme of 

 their drinks, which fhe herfelf prefented to them, having drank firft herfelf, according 

 to their cuftom, and bid them take courage, for they Ihouid not die. They feeing them- 

 felves brought, as it were, from death to life, threw themfelves at her feet, and dedi- 

 cated themfelves to her as voluntary Haves, fmce by her favour they enjoyed a life 

 which they gave for loft. 



The captain, who had taken them, feeing his Princefs and Sovereign fhew them fo 

 much favour, came to them, and bid them be confident of their lives, for that their 

 lady having commanded they fhould not be killed, there was not any one bold enough 

 to look awry upon them : they were kept fix months in this captivity ; and though 

 it was fo gentle, by the kind ufage they met with, yet the natural defire of liberty, and 

 the hopes of returning to their friends, ftill worked with them. 



Let no man think himfelf fecure that has his enemy within his own doors, nor let 

 him truft his prifoner, though yielded up to his difcretion ; for let him be ufed as well 

 as can be, yet there is no happinefs like being his own man, and enjoying his liberty. 

 This thought continually took up the minds of thefe two captains, fo they laid a plot 

 how to make their efcape. They had obferved in the Cacique a curiofity for horfes, 

 which were creatures fo new to thofe Indian countries ; they perfuaded him to learn 

 to ride, and manage a horfe. He liked the propofal, and began to exercife himfelf 

 in this genteel amufement, carrying with him neverthelefs always his guard of archers, 

 with an Indian before with a lance upon his Ihoulder, and another behind, with a naked 

 fword in his hand, more out of grandeur than diftruft ; for he had no fufpicion of their 

 plot, which was, to take an opportunity when he rid out to fall upon him, and kill 

 him, as they did ; for Captain Monroy, with an extraordinary intrepidity, without re- 

 flefting on the guard that attended him, attacked the Cacique, and Captain Miranda the 

 reft, with fo much fuddennefs, that they made themfelves mafters of the lance and 

 fword ; and beftirring themfelves courageoufly, they wounded and difmounted the 

 Cacique ; fo that he died of his wounds in fome months. Having gained the horfes, they 

 faved themfelves upon them ; and not being purfued in that diforder, they overcame all 

 the difficulties of thofe folitudes, and arrived at Peru fafe ; where at that tin^e they 

 found the government in the hands of the Licenciado Vaca de Caftro. 



Thefe two captains were gentlemen of great families ; and to this day the Mirandas 

 in Chile are of the flower of the nobility of that kingdom. As for the Monroys, they 

 are fo known in Caftile, particularly about Salamanca, that it is needlefs to fay 

 more of them. They were very well received by His Excellency, for the good news 

 they brought of that difcovery and conqueft, of the pleafantnefs of the country, and 

 richnefs of its mines ; and upon this relation, as Antonio de Herrera and other authors 

 fay, it was refolved to further this conqueft, which feemed to be of fuch high im- 

 portance, and to chufe out fome fit perfon, and accompany him with foldiers, arms, 

 ammunition, and cloathing for the foldiers, who were almoft naked. 



He chofe for this employment CaptainJohnBapliftePaftene, a gentleman of the 

 moft antient and illuftrious houfe of Paftenes in Genoa ; which family is at prefent 

 extinft in that republick, and remains only in its records, where many of that name 

 are in the books of the nobility, and among the greateft dignities of the ftate. This 

 gentleman engaged in the conqueft of the new world by the fame defire of glory which 

 moved others, and to mend his fortune. He happening then to be in Peru, the viceroy 

 took hold of the occafion to employ him for the King's fervice ; which this gentleman 

 accepted, and performed, going for Chile, where he arrived with fuccours which 

 that kingdom ftood in fo great need of. 



VOL. XIV. B B This 



